Part 12: A New Dawn

1. Part 12: A New Dawn God’s light shone through the darkness in the form of a new mission for the foundress of the Marist Sisters. When Mother St Joseph was 69 years old, a call for help came from the parish of Jarnosse, a tiny village tucked away in countryside well-known to her. To give some idea of the conditions, let’s turn to a letter written by a 17 year-old, Eugénie Gautier, to her uncle on 24 November 1855: “Our countrysides are in a bad state, there is so much wretchedness, such ignorance and brutishness, so much physical and moral evil! No-one comes to the help of all this suffering! No-one sees the good that could be done… here is a splendid opening for a Christian…”

2. - dawn for others, too… As we read further in Eugénie’s letter, it becomes clear that the people of Jarnosse had been experiencing their own form of darkness. So, it was that a new dawn was provided for the entire village. “…And we are not the only ones to think like this: The Marist Sisters are opening a little convent at Jarnosse. No one would have dreamt of choosing a poky hole like that, …they will have a novitiate there, an orphanage for poor girls, a school, and above all it will be a source of charity and faith, bringing a little warmth to our famished people.”

3. A dream realised … Eugénie was a perceptive young woman. As it transpired, it was at Jarnosse that Jeanne-Marie’s dream became a reality. In that poky hole of famished people, love blossomed. And it reached in two directions – the Sisters ministered to the people and the people ministered to them. They became part of one another’s lives, and in spite of initial difficulties with debts incurred by the building, that ministry continued for over 50 years until the early 1900’s when the Church in France was once again persecuted. Eugénie continues: “…we went to see the sisters and I returned deeply moved. At the head of the new work is the Foundress of the whole order of Marist Sisters. She is already an old woman; she speaks bad French, but after a few minutes with her, one perceives … a strong, generous soul and above all a heart filled with love.”

4. … more fully than imagined… It was in Jarnosse that Jeanne-Marie Chavoin died. By that time she had supervised the building of the convent and school, where poorer children boarded. By that time the school had established a very good reputation because the foundress insisted upon the sisters being trained for teaching. And by that time the sisters, particularly Mother St Joseph, had claimed a special place in the hearts of the townsfolk.

5. …never to be forgotten On 30th June 1858, having prayed a blessing for every sister and every house in the congregation, Jeanne-Marie Chavoin died. We are told by a parishioner who knew her well: “She had asked to buried without fuss like the least of the sisters. The civil authorities wanted all the solemnity that it is possible to have in these parts. The bell was tolled every two hours… the young girls of the village who had the honour of carrying the coffin were dressed in white, the community in black carrying candles, the nave of the church was full. There was solemn sung Mass…dignitaries from the neighbouring villages … came. Some of the inhabitants of Jarnosse wanted a souvenir of the Mother.. Her memory will remain – is she not worthy that it should?” Yes, dear Jeanne-Marie, your memory is certainly precious to us. However, we are called to do more than simply remember you. May we, your Marist Sisters, continue the Work of Mary in our world today – as you envisaged it and with that same love which impelled you.